The present invention relates to home health spas or bath units and more particularly to an improved air channel in the form of a mat having a plurality of perforations therein to permit the entry of air into the heated bath.
Typical home spa constructions include a pre-fabricated bath unit filled with heated water which is circulated and aerated to provide therapeutic action to the user. The pre-fabricated bath unit is made of fiberglass and resin with a gel coat interior. It is set into an opening in a deck or the like and fill material such as sand is compacted around its exterior for support. It includes steps and seating areas so that the user may enter and depart from the bath and sit in the warm circulating water to reduce tension, improve circulation, and soothe aching muscles.
Air is blown into the spa bath unit through openings in its underside to bubble up through and agitate the warm water. Prior art constructions include U-shaped air channels which are fabricated separately and are glued or sealed onto the exterior surface of the bath unit base. An air blower is connected to the U-shaped air channels for pumping air through them and into the bath. Openings in the bath unit base are confined to the areas covered by the U-shaped air channels to permit air which is blown through the air channels to pass into and up through the bath.
The problem with the prior art air channels is that the seal between them and the bath unit is susceptible to breakage during installation or cracking when it freezes. The installer may break or damage an air channel during installation because they protrude from the bottom of the bath unit. When the spa is drained for the winter, not all of the water can be removed, and it freezes thereby causing the air channel to crack. Thus, there has been a need for an improved air channel to eliminate the problems attendant with the use of the prior U-shaped air channels.
Another disadvantage of existing air channels is that the air openings into the bath unit can only be placed within the relatively small confines of the U-shaped channel. Thus, it is difficult to provide uniform aeration in the bath.
The existing U-shaped air channels require an additional manufacturing step. They are fabricated separately from the bath unit, and then, they must be attached to the bath unit which requires additional labor, time and materials.
These and other disadvantages of present spa constructions have resulted in the improved air channel of the present invention.